Latching and locking device



June 14, 1960 ca. E. SWANSON 2,940,291

LATCHING AND LOCKING DEVICE Filed July a, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 14, 1960 e. E. SWANSON LATCHING AND LOCKING DEVICE FIG. /7

INVENTOR GUN/VAR E. SWANSO/V ATTORNEYS United States Patent LATCHING AND LOCKING DEVICE Gnnnar E. Swanson, Middletown, Conn. Nielsen lgardvgare Corp., 770 Wethers'field Ave., Hartford,

onn.

Filed July 3, 1956, Ser. No. 595,777

11 claims. or. 70-70 The invention relates to a latching device which may also be a locking device and which comprises two separable strike and bolt units adapted respectively to be fixedly attached to the cover and to the body of a carrying case or the like.

The general object of the invention is to provide a device of the type referred to whichis simple and inexpensive but nevertheless reliable in its latching and locking action.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a device of the said type wherein the bolt of the bolt unit is movable at such an angle to the direction of cover closing that it is very readily moved out of its normal position by a hook on the strike unit so as to permit the strike unit to be readily moved into latching or cooperative position.

Other more specific objects of the invention will be apparent from the drawings and from the following description and claims.

The drawings show three embodiments of the invention, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the constructions shown, and that the drawings are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a latching and locking device embodying the invention together with portions of a carrying case.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the latching and locking device with the portions of the carrying caseshown in section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a face View of a key that may be used with the latching and locking device.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of Figs. 2 and S.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the parts in relative positions for releasing and showing the str *a unit separated from the latching and locking unit.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but showing t 13 lock tumbler in a difierent position.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing an alternative latching and locking device embodying the invention.

11 is a side view of the alternative latching and locking device with the portion of the carrying case shown in section along the line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 12-12 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 13 is a transverse vertical sectional view take along the line 13-13 of Fig. 12.

ice

strike unit separated from the latching and locking unit." Fig. 16 is a front view of another alternative device embodying the invention with portions of the front housing wall broken away to show interior parts. 7

Fig. 17 is a view similar to Fig. 16 but showing the parts in different relative positions and showing the strike unit separated from the latching unit.

Device shown in Figs. 1 to 9 Figs. 1 to 9 of the drawings show a latching and locking device for use with a carrying case or the like having a main body and a separable cover. A portion of the case cover is shown at 16 and a portion of the case body is shown at 12. It will be assumed that the cover ishinged to the body and is upwardly separable by pivotal movement.

It will be understood that such terms as upwardly or downwardly or the like are herein used for conveniently indicating the relationship of parts, and that such terms do not otherwise limit the scope of the invention.

A strike unit and a bolt unit 16 are adaptedrespectively to be fixedly attached to said case cover and to said case body as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the cover 13- is in its lower closed position as shown, said units 14 and 16 are in cooperative relationship.

The strike unit 14 includes at least one relatively fixed hook 13 and preferably there are two generally similar hooks 1.8 and 2d spaced apart transversely. Each hook 218 and 26 includes a vertical stem and a lateral projection having an upwardly exposed face such as 22 which is downwardly inclined relatively to the stem at an angle substantially greater than 90, the angle as shown being about 135. When there are two hooks, the lateral projections thereof are preferably opposite and the faces 22 and 24 on said projections are oppositely inclined. As shown the two projections on said hooks project toward each other.

The details of the strike unit 14 may be widely varied, but as shown the hooks 18 and 20 are integral portions of a sheet metal plate 26. The major portion of said plate 26 is within a rectangular sheet metal housing 28 closed at the front and open at the rear. The hooks 18 and 20 project downwardly from the housing 28 through notches in the bottom wall thereof. The plate 26 has portions 3G, 3% at its ends which are offset rearwardly and said plate 26 has rearwardly extending projections 32 near the top. Said offsets 3i} and said projections 32 are engaged by tabs-34 and 36 bent inwardly from the top and bottom walls of the housing 28, the plate 26 being thus firmly held in place. The entire strike unit is attached to the case cover 11} by screws 38 which enter threaded holes as, 49 in the olfset portions 30, 30 of the plate 26.

The bolt unit 16 includes a frame 42 and at least one bolt 44 guided on the frame for relative movement in substantial parallelism with the inclined face such as 22 of a corresponding hook such as 18 when said strike and bolt units are in the said cooperative relationship. The bolt 44 is movable upwardly and laterally, as toward the right, into an upper position for engagement with said hook face 22 to prevent upward movement of said strike unit, and said bolt 44 is movable downwardly and laterally, as toward the left, out of said engagement with said hook face to release said strike unit for upward movement. The bolt is biased upwardly and laterally to its said engagement position by means to be more fully explained, and the bolt is movable downwardly Patented June 14, V 1960 V the cover to prevent relative forward movement.

and laterally out of said position by manuallyoperable rfi e'ahs' to be'more fully explained.

When there are two hooks such as 18 and 20. with oppositely-inclined faces such as 22 and 24, there .are two bolts 44 and 46 which are guidedinsaid housing 42 andare movable upwardly and laterally in opposite directions, preferably toward each other, into upper p.ositionsjfor'engagement respectively with said hock faces to prevent upward movement of said strike-unit and. are

movable downwardly and inlaterally opposite directions, preferably away from each other, out of said en:

gagement positionto' release said strike unit.

' Thedetails of. the. bolt unit16 may be widely varied, but as shownltheframe'. :42 is a sheet metal plate en-' closed in a'housing 48 generally similar to the strike unit' the housing has a notch or notches for the hook or hooks of the strik e unit, and when the strike unit has two-hooks 18l-a nd 20the housing top wall has two notches 50 and 52: The fra me or plate 42 has rearwardly'ofiset pottions' 54' nearits ends audit has forwardly extending flanges 56, 56'and 58, 58 which engage the front wall 12f 'T e frame plate 42 is also provided near the bottom with forwardly extending flanges 6|), 60'and 62 for purposes to be set forth. The plate 42 is held in place in the 7 housing 48 bytabs 64 and 66 bent inwardly from the top and bottom walls of said housing. One upper tab the other bolt.

ment of the strike unit, the bolts and the bolt members tending to resist accidental disengagement, there being a housing 28 butsubstantially deepen; The top wall of 46 formed integrally therewith and bent forwardly therefrom. Each of the bolt members 72 and 74 has an ear 7 61 011 78 bent rearwardly therefrom andentered in an inclined slot 80 or 82 in the frame plate 42. The slots 80 and .82 are oppositely inclined and the sides of the wedging effect between the engagement face of each bolt and the" upper face of the corresponding car 76 or 78 which engages the upper wall of the corresponding slot 80 or' 82. Inadditiom it. should .be observed that the oppositely inclined hook faces and the similarly inclined bolt faces automatically provide an equalization of pressure atthe two hooks. If there are minor inaccuracies of manufacturing tending to cause one hook to engage first, there is a suflicient slight loosenessin the cover mounting to permit' the.cover and the strike to'shift laterally as necessary to equalize the. pressures. Sufiicient clearances are provided in the notches and 52 to permit such shifting.

h For releasing thestrike unit, opposite pressures are manually-appliedto. the extension 84 and 86 of the bolt members and the bolts 44 and 46 are guided by the slots 80 and182 for relative movements downwardly and inwardly in substantial parallelism respectively with the oppositely inclined hook faces 22 and 24. When the bolts and the bolt members: reach the positions shown in Fig. 8, the hooks are in positions to release the hooks and the strike unit isi freelymovable upwardly.

When the manual pressures on the bolt member extensions 84 and 86 are released, the springs 88 and 90 restorethebolts and the'bolt members to their normal or engagement positions as shown in Fig. 4. The re stored or engagement positions of the bolts are also shown.

by dotted'lines in Fig. 8. 7

' When the cover is to be closed, the strike unit is moved downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 8, and the lower faces100 and 102 of the hooks 18 and 20 engage -the bolts to push them downwardly and outwardly in oppositionto the springs 88 and 90. When the hooks respective slots together with the corresponding ears 76 and 78 constitute means for guiding the bolts for move- 1 ment in substantial parallelism with 'the'inclined hook faces 22 and 24. :Each' of the bolt members 72 and 74 hasan extension 84 or 86 which projects through a notch alwall ofthe housing 48, perpendicular to the front wall ther eof and servesas manuallyoperable meansfor moving the bolt member' downw'ardly and laterallyiin weirdly; As shown, the two extensions 84 and86 project through opposite notches in the side walls of the housing;

Springs 88 and 90 serve respectively as means for bias- 7 ingthebolt members for upward and laterally outward movement. shown, the spring 88 is a leaf spring en gaging the corresponding flanges 58'and 68 on the frame plate and engaging a forwardly bent ear'92 on the bolt' 'member72; Thespring 98 is generally similar to the spring 88 and engages the corresponding flange on the frame plate and aforwardly bent ear 94'on the bolt member. 74. However, the spring 90 does not engage the corresponding flange 58 on the frame plate. 7 The bolt members 72 and 74 are shown as having openings 96 and 98 which provide clearances for the holding screws68." f A It will beseen that each bolt member 72 or 74 i's" guided in part by the engagement of the corresponding 'ear'76 or 78 in the corresponding slot in the frame 42 and in part by the engagement of the corresponding extension 84 or 86with the walls of the corresponding slot in the side wall of the housing 48." f Fig. 4 shows the parts positioned for latching the units 14 are 16in their said cooperative relationship. The

engagement positions as shown-in'Fig. 4 and the device isself-latching. V i I V Preferably, means isprovided for locking at least one bolt in its engagement position, and as shown such means is provided for the bolt 44.. A rotary tumbler 104 is provided within the-housing 48 at the lower center thereof. The tumbler 104 is 'cupshape d and closed at the rear, and it is'partly within a recess in the. frame plate 42 and it is guided and held in place by the flanges 58, 58 and 62011 said framepalte. A key 106, shown in Fig. 3, may be inserted through a keyhole 108 in the housing ,48and into a notch 110 in-the' rearwall of the tumbler.

By means of the key the tumbler may be rotated to the V unlocking position shown'in Fig. 8 or to the locking position shown in Fig. 9. A rearward projection 112 on the tumbler enters an arcuate slot.114 in the frame plate 42 to limit rotary moyementofsaidtumbler. The tumbler is provided with two similar opposite notches 116 and .118,v the corners of whichare engaged by the spring 90. The spring serves not only to bias the bolt member 74 as described but also 'to releasably hold the tumbler in its unlockingposition as shown inv Fig.. 8 or. to releasably hold said tumbler in its locking position .as shown in Fig. 9. a

The bolt 44 has an integral extension 120' which enters .a slot,122 in the-tumbler 104 when the tumbler is in its unlocking position and-when the bolt is moved V to its unlatchi'ng position as shown in Fig. 8. When the tumbler is turned to its locking position as shown in Fig. 9, said locking extension 129 engages the wall of the tumbler and prevents any substantial movement of said bolt 44. Thus the strike and bolt units are locked in their cooperative relationship.

Device shown in Figs. to

In the device shown in Figs. 10 to 15, a strike unit 123 and a bolt unit 12s are adapted respectively to be fixedly attached to the case cover ll) and to the case body 12, these units being generally similar to the strike and bolt units 14 and 16.

The strike unit 123 has a single relatively fixed hook 126. The hook includes a vertical stem and a lateral projection having an upwardly exposed face 128 which is downwardly inclined relatively to the stem at an angle substantially greater than 90, the angle as shown being about 135. The book 126 is an integral portion of a sheet metal plate 139. The major portion of said plate 130 is within a rectangular sheet metal housing 132 closed at the front and open at the rear. The book 126 projects downwardly from the housing 132 through a notch in the bottom wall thereof. The plate is generally similar to the plate 26 and it is similarly held in place in its housing. The entire strike unit is attached to the case cover 10 by screws 134 which enter threaded holes in the plate 133.

The bolt unit 124 includes a frame 136 and a bolt 133 guided on the frame for relative movement in substantial parallelism with the inclined face 128 of the hook 126 when said strike and bolt units are in the said cooperative relationship. The belt 3.33 is movable upwardly and laterally toward left into an upper position for engagement with said hook face 128 to prevent upward movement of said strike unit, and said bolt 133 is movable downwardly and laterally toward the right out of said engagement with said hook face to release said strike unit for upward movement. The bolt may be biased upwardly and laterally to its said engagement position by means to be more fully explained, and the bolt is movable downwardly and laterally out of said position by manually operable means to be more fully explained.

As shown, the frame 136 is a sheet metal plate enclose in a housing generally similar to the strike unit housing 132 but substantially deeper. The top wall of the housing has a notch 142 for the book of the strike unit. The frame or plate 136 is generally similar to the plate 42 and it is similarly held in place in its hous- The frame plate 13:: is provided above the bottom be set forth. The entire bolt unit is attached to the case body by screws which enter threaded holes in the frame plate 336.

The bolt is member The bolt member 143 is a metal plate having the bolt 13 formed integrally therewith and bent forwardly therefrom. The member 143 has an ear 154i bent rearwardly therefrom and entered in an inclined slot 152 in the frame plate 136. The inclined slot 152 guides the bolt for movement in substantial parallelism with the inclined hook face 128. The bolt member 133 has extension 153 which projects through a notch in the side wall of the housing 149 and has a forwardly turned lip that serves as a manually operable means for moving the bolt member laterally outwardly. A coil compression spring is provided which engages projections on the bolt member 143 and on the frame flange 144. spring may serve as a means for biasing the bolt member upwardly and laterally inwardly and said spring rr y tend to hold the bolt member in its upper engagement position.

it will be seen that the bolt member 148 is guided in part by the engagement of the ear 15%) in the frame slot 152 and in part by the engagement of the extension 1'53 with the edges 'of the slot in the side wall of the housing 140.

formed as an integral part of a bolt Fig. 12 shows the parts positioned for latching the units 123 and 124 in their said cooperative relationship. The bolt 138 engages the face 128 of the hook 126 to prevent relative upwardmovement of the strike unit, the bolt and the bolt member being held in place by the spring 156. When there is only a single hook and only a single bolt, it is important for the hook, at the side thereof opposite its inclined face, to be in engagement with the edge of the slot 142 as clearly shown in Fig. 12. This last-mentioned engagement prevents any lateral shifting of the hook relatively to the bolt unit which would tend to permit disengagement of the hook from the bolt.

For releasing the strike unit, the lip 154 on the bolt tember is manually engaged and moved outwardly and the bolt 1.32 is guided by the slot 152 for relative movement downwardly and laterally in substantial parallelism with the inclined hook face 128. When the bolt and the bolt member reach the positions shown in Fig. 15, the bolt is positioned to release the hook and the strike unit is freely movable upwardly.

The spring 155 is preferably so positioned in relation to the bolt member 148 and the flange 144 that it serves in cooperation with the shape of the bolt member at the point 157 to hold said bolt member either in the position shown in Fig. 1 2 or in the position shown in Fig. 15. In the Fig. 12 position the spring 156 biases the bolt member 136 upwardly and laterally inwardly to hold the bolt 138 in its engagement position. In the Fig. 15 position the spring 155 presses against the bolt member 136 at such an angle as to hold the bolt 138 out of its engagement position.

The provision of means for automatically holding the bolt out of engagement position is advantageous for installations wherein the cover will ordinarily be repeatedly raised and lowered without any need for being always latched in its lower or closed position. Furthermore, when a case has two widely spaced latching devices, it may be inconvenient to release them simultaneously, and with the bolt automatically held out of its engagement position, the two devices can be released in sequence without automatic re-engagement to the bolt first released.

When the bolt is to be restored to its engagement position as shown in Fig. 12, the bolt member is moved manually inwardly far enough to move the spring to such an angle that it will continue the bolt movement upwardly and laterally to the engagement position as shown by full lines in Fig. 12 and :as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 15.

It will be evident that the bolt may be moved to its engagement position with the cover closed and with the hook 126 in its lower position as shown in Fig. 12 or the bolt can be so moved with the cover open and with the hook in its upper position as shown in Fig. 15,

When the bolt is moved .to its engagement position with the cover open, the device is self-latching as described in connection with the device shown in Figs. 1 to 9. When the cover is to be closed, the strike unit is moved downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 15, and the lower face 158 of the hook 126 engages the bolt to push it downwardly and laterally in opposition to the spring 156. The book in moving to its lower position does not move the bolt member 153 far enough for the spring 156 to retain it in the unlocked position, and the spring therefor moves the bolt back to its engagement position as shown in Fig. 12.

Means is preferably provided for locking the bolt in its engagement position and, as shown, there is a transversely movable tumbler 164) within the housing 140. The tumbler is U-shaped in vertical section as shown in Figs. 13 and i4 and it is guided at the top by the beforementioned flange 144 on the frame plate 136. A spring 162 engages the tumbler at the bottom and serves to hold it in engagement with the flange 144 and also serves to frictionally resist movement of the said tumbler. The tumbler has an opening 164 in the rear wall thereof 1.. i which opening includes an upper notch 166. A key can be inserted through a keyway 168 in thefront wall of the housing 140-and the key can engage the walls of the notch 166'to move the tumbler to its left position as shown in Fig. 1 2 or to its right position as shown in Fig. 15.

Q'Ihe upper wall of the tumbler 160 has a notch 170 V therein for receiving a'looking extension 172 on the bolt member 148. When the tumbler is in its left position as shown in Fig. 12, the upper wall of the tumbler obstructs the locking extension 172 and the bolt cannot be moved out of its engagement position. When the tumbler is in its right position as shown in Fig.15, the

:Devjice shown in Figs. 16 and i7 In .the device shown inFi gs. 16 and 17,5 strike unit 174 and abolt unit 176 are adapted respectively to be fixedlylattached to a case cover and a case body.

Thestrike unit 174 is or maybe very similar to the strike unit 123 shown in 'Figs. 10 and -to detailed description isunnecessary.

The belt unit .176 comprises a frame plate 178within a housing 180. A belt 182 is provided which is a part of abolt member 184. The bolt member has a rearwardly' projecting ear 186 guided in a slot 188 in the frame plate 1781 a a a T he bolt 182 is movable upwardly and laterally toward the left'into an upper position for engagement with the hook face 128 to prevent upward movement of thestrike uni-Land said bolt 182 is movable downwardly and laterally toward the right out of engagement with said hook face to release said strike for upward movement. The

bolt member has a downward extension 190 whichpro- 'jects through a notch in the bottom wall of the housing 180 and has a forwardly turned lip 192 that serves as a manually operable means for moving the bolt member.

downwardly and laterally toward the right. A coil compression spring 194 is provided which engages projections on the bolt member 184 and on the night side wall of the for engagement with said face to prevent upward movement of said strike unit and for movement of the bolt downwardly and laterally in parallelism with said inclined hook face out of said engagement position to release said strike unit. I

2. In a, latching device for use on a carrying case or the like having a main body and having a cover upwardly separable from said main body, the combination of a strike unit adapted to be fixedly attached to said case cover and including a' relatively fixed hook having a downwardly projecting stern and an upwardly exposed face .downwardlyinclined relatively to said stem at an angle substantially greater than 90, and a bolt unit adapted to be fixedly attached to said case body and having cooperative relationship with said strike unit when the cover is in its lower body closing position, said boltunit'including a relatively fixed frame having a slot substantially parallel with said inclined'hook face when said units are in said cooperative relationship and said lbOlt unit including a housing enclosing said frame exceptat therear thereof which housing has a notch in a wall thereof perpendicular to its front wall and said bolt unit also including a relatively movable bolt member located chiefly within the housing and having a bolt and having an ear entered. in said slot in the frame and also having an extension insaid notch' in the housing wall sothat said bolt member is guided in part by said ear and slot and in part by said :downwardly projecting stems and upwardly exposed faces downwardly inclined relatively to therespective stems at housing 180. Said spring serves as a means for biasing the v a bolt member upwardly and laterally and said spring tends to hold the bolt member in its upper engagement posi- "tion... V

The functioning and manner of operation of the device as shown in Figs. 16 and 17 is generally similar to that v of the. devices shown respectively in Figs. 1 to 9 and in Figs. 10 to 15 and further detailed description is unnecessary. No locking means is shown, but it is obvious that the device may be provided with a locking means. The invention claimed is:

V .1. In a latching device for use on carrying case or thcjlike having a main body and having a cover upwardly separable from said main body, the combination of a strike unit adapted'tobe fixedly attached to said case cover and including a relatively fixed hook having a downwardly projecting stem and an upwardly exposed face downwardly inclined relatively to said stem at an angle substantially greater than 90, and a bolt unit adapted .to be fixedly attached to said case body and extension and the edges of the housing wall notch for movement of the bolt therof upwardly and laterally into an upper position'for engagement with said inclined hook face to prevent upward movement of the strike unit and for movement of the 'bolt thereof downwardly and laterally out of said engagement position to release said'strike unit.

separable from said main body, the combination of a strike unit adapted to be fixedly attached to said case cover and including two relatively fixed hooks'having .case body and having cooperative relationship with said strike unit when the cover is in its lower body closing position, said bolt unit including a relatively fixed'frame and two movable bolts having downwardly exposed faces I. having cooperative relationship with said strike unit when v jthe cover is in its lower body closing position, said bolt unit including 'a relatively fixed frame located at the rear of said hook'when said units are in said cooperative rela-' gsothat said bolt member is guid ed by said ear and slot for movement of thebolt upwardly and laterally in paralparallel respectively to the upwardly exposed hookfaces. ,when said units are in said cooperative relationship and said bolt unit also including means on the frame for guid ing said bolts for relative movements in parallelism respectively with the said hook and bolt faces when the ,units'are in said relationship so that the bolts are guided for movement upwardly and in laterally opposite directions into upper positions for engagement of said bolt strike unit. e

4. A latching device as set forth in claimv 3, wherein -said'bolt unit includes means for biasing said bolts up- -wardly and in laterally opposite directions toward their said engagement positions and also includes manually operable means for moving said bolts downwardly and in laterally opposite directions out of said engagement positions, and'wherein said hooks are provided with lower faces located thereon to be engageable respectively with said bolts and to serve upon downward movement of the strike unit to move said bolts downwardly and in laterally opposite directions out of their said engagement positions I in' opposition to said biasing means which lower hook 'faces upon continued downward movement of the strike llelipm with saidinclined hook face into an upper position i t move out of contact with said bolts to permit the latter to be returned to their said engagement positions by said biasing means.

5. In a latching device for use on a carrying case or the like having a main body and having a cover upwardly separable from said main body, the combination of a strike unit adapted to be fixedly attached to said case cover and including two relatively fixed hooks having downwardly projecting stems and upwardly exposed faces downwardly inclined relatively to the relative stems at similar but opposite angles substantially greater than 90, and a bolt unit adapted to be fixedly attached to said case body and having cooperative relationship with said strike unit when the cover is in its lower body closing positon, said bolt unit including a relatively fixed frame having two oppositely inclined slots substantially parallel respectively with said oppositely inclined hook faces when said units are in said cooperative relationship and said bolt unit including two relatively movable bolt members respectively having bolts and also respectively having ears entered in said oppositely inclined slots in the frame so that said bolt members are guided by said ears and slots for movements of the bolts thereof upwardly and laterally into upper positions for engagement with said inclined hook faces to prevent upward movement of said strike unit and for movements of the bolts thereof downwardly and laterally out of said engagement positions to release said strike unit.

6. In a latching device for use on a carrying case or the like having a main body and having a cover upwardly separable from said main body, the combination of a strike unit adapted to be fixedly attached to said case cover and including two relatively fixed hooks having downwardly projecting stems and upwardly exposed faces downwardly inclined relatively to the respective stems at similar but opposite angles substantially greater than 90, and a bolt unit adapted to be fixedly attached to said case body and having cooperative relationship with said strike unit when the cover is in its lower body closing position, said bolt unit including a relatively fixed frame havin two oppositely inclined, slots substantially parallel respectively with said oppositely inclined hook faces whensaid units are in said cooperative relation-.

ship and said bolt unit including a-housing enclosing said frame except at the rear thereof which housing has opposite notches in the side Walls thereof and said bolt unit also including two relatively movable bolt members located chiefly within the housing and respectively having bolts and respectively having ears entered in said oppositely inclined slots in the frame and also having manually engageable extensions respectively in said notches in the housing side wall so that said bolt members are guided in part by said ears and slots and in part by the extensions and the edges of the housing wall notches for movements of the bolts thereof upwardly and laterally outwardly into upper positions for engagement with said inclined hook faces to prevent upward movement of the strike unit and for movements of the bolts thereof downwardly and laterally inwardly out of said engagement positions to release said strike unit.

7. In a latching device for use on a carrying case or the like having a main body and having a cover upwardly separable from said main body, the combination of a strike unit adapted to be fixedly attached to said case cover and including two relatively fixed hooks having downwardly projecting stems and upwardly exposed faces downwardly inclined relatively to the relative stems at similar but opposite angles substantially greater than 90, and a bolt unit adapted to be fixedly attached to said case body and having cooperative relationship with said stn'ke unit when the cover is in its lower body closing position, said bolt unit including a relatively fixed frame having two oppositely inclined slots substantially parallel respectively with said oppositely inclined hook faces when said units are in said cooperative relationship and said bolt unit including two relatively movable bolt membersrespectively having bolts and also respectively having ears entered in said oppositely inclined slots in the frame so that said bolt members are guided by said ears and slots for movements of the bolts thereof upwardly and laterally into upper positions for engagement with said inclined hook faces to prevent upward movement of said strike unit and for movements of the bolts thereof downwardly and laterally out of said engagement positions to release said strike unit and said bolt unit further including a locking extension on one bolt member and a centrally located key operable rotary tumbler which serves in a locking position to engage said locking extension and prevent movement of the corresponding bolt member in the direction to move the corresponding bolt out of its engagement position and which is rotatable out of its said locking position to permit movement of said locking extension and the corresponding bolt member.

8. In a latching device for use on a carrying case or the like having a main body and having a cover upwardly separable from said main body, the combination of a strike unit adapted to be fixedly attached to said case cover and including a relatively fixed hook having a downwardly projecting stem and an upwardly exposed face downwardly inclined relatively to said stem at an angle substantially greater than and a bolt unit adapted to be fixedly attached to said case body and having cooperative relationship with said strike unit when the cover is in its lower body closing position, said bolt unit including a relatively fixed frame having a slot substantially parallel with said inclined hook face when said.

units are in said cooperative relationship and said bolt unit including a housing enclosing said frame except at the rear thereof which housing has a notch in a wall thereof perpendicular to its front Wall and said bolt unit also including a relatively movable boltmember located chiefly within the housing and having a bolt and having an ear entered in said slot in the frame and also having an extension in said notch in the housing wall so that said bolt member is inwardly guided in part by said ear and slotv and in part by said extension and the edges of the housing wall notch for movement of the bolt thereof upwardly and laterally into an upper position for engagement with said inclined hook face to prevent upward movement of the strike unit and is outwardly guided for movement of the bolt thereof downwardly and laterally out of said engagement position to release said strike unit and said bolt unit further including a. spring engageable with said bolt member for biasing it in the inward direction to move the bolt thereof upwardly and laterally to its engagement position and a manually engageable element on said bolt member extension for moving said bolt member outwardly in opposition to the spring so as to move the bolt thereof downwardly and laterally out of its said engagement position.

9. A latching device as set forth in claim 8, wherein said bolt member extension is in a notch in a side wall of the housing.

10. A latching device as set forth in claim 8, wherein said bolt member extension is in a notch in the bottom wall of the housing.

11. In a latching device for use on a carrying case or the like haying a main body and having a cover upwardly separable from said main body, the combination of a strike unit adapted to be fixedly attached to said case cover and including a relatively fixed hook having a downwardly projecting stem and an upwardly exposed face downwardly inclined relatively to said stem at an angle substantially greater than 90, and a bolt unit adapted to be fixedly attached to said case body and having cooperative relationship with said strike unit when the cover is in its lower body closing position, said bolt unit including a relatively fixed frame and a bolt guidedby the frame for relative movement in substantial parallelism with said inclined hook face when said units are l ,of its said engagement position.

.in said cooperative relationship which bolt is movable upwardly and laterally into an upper position for engagement with'said .hook face to prevent upward movement of. said strike unit andf is fmovalile downwardly and laterally, out of said engagement position to release said strike unit and said bolt unit including manually op'erable means for moving said bolt downwardly and lateral;

'1 out of said engagement position and said bolt unit further including a spring connected at one end with a point on the movable bolt member andconnected at its'other end with a fixed point on the frame, said pointsof spring connect-ion being so related to eacli'other that the spring serves in one'position thereof to bias said bolt upwardly and laterallyjtoward its said engagement position 'a-nd serves inanother position thereof to hold said bolt ,ou-t

I 1,566,997 f 2 331 5 2,242,550 i "2,260,674

i w .1 Reter ences Cited in the file of this patent v I UNITED STATES PATENTS Teed DWI-11, Taggartgu Dec. 22, Thiele Feb.. 25, Schell FMay 20, Kennedy Oct 28, Swanson Aug 9, Swanson, Aug 9, mosta y Vigmos tad Mar. 8, -Vigmos tad J1me 7, 

